Prefabricated roof structure



March 14, 1967 w, cH Y 3,308,583

PREFABRICATED ROOF STRUCTURE Filed May 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JOHN W(MONEY INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Mardl 1967 J. w. CHANEY PREFABRICATED ROOF STRUCTURE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 14, 1963 INVENTOR.

ATTOQN E Y United States Patent C) M 3,308,583 PREFABRICATED ROOFSTRUCTURE John W. Chaney, 932 Tiverton,

Los Angeles, Calif. 90024 Filed May 14, 1963, Ser. No. 280,269 6 Claims.(Cl. 52-92) This invention relates to an improved type prefabricatedroof structure for a house or other building.

A major object of the invention is to provide a roof assembly which isso designed as to enable performance of as much as possible of thefabricating work for the roof at a manufacturing plant, under readilycontrollable mass production conditions, with only certain extremelysimple and straightforward assembly steps being required at the actualbuilding site. Especially desired is a roof arrangement of this type inwhich the prefabricated sub-assemblies which are built at the factoryare all specially designed to be easily transportable from the factoryto the building site, and specifically to fit together on a truck orother carrying vehicle with a minimum of wasted space. Further, thesub-assemblies when assembled together form an overall roof structurewhich is accurately dimensioned, and which is very strong and rigid andsecurely attached to the side Walls of the buildings.

Certain specific features of the invention relate to a preferred type ofbeam which is utilized in the roof assembly, to extend generallyhorizontally between two opposite side walls, and support the roofbetween those walls. Specifically, this beam includes a first generallyhorizontal member defining the lower portion of the beam, 3. second andinclined upper member at the top of the beam, and a panel extendingvertically between these two members. The panel has upper and loweredges which project into grooves formed in the upper and lower members,to form a very rigid and strong composite, preferably triangular, beam.Desirably, the upper and lower edges of the panel taper in thickness,and the grooves within which these edges are received tapercorrespondingly, in a manner assuring effective retention of the paneledges against lateral shifting movement.

Various additional features of the invention relate to certain novelmeans for securing a plurality of spaced beams of the roof structure tothe side walls of the building in accurately predeterminable relation tothe side walls and to one another, with the spacing between successivebeams being precise and reliable, but with the connection between thebeams and side walls being very easily made by untrained personnel. Forthis purpose, I utilize a top plate member which extends horizontally atthe top of the side wall and which carries prefabricated elementssecured to the top plate before assembly of the building and adapted tolocate and connect to the roof beams. These elements preferably includeblocking members adapted to extend between successive beams, and havingends spaced apart to form between two of the blocking members a recessfor receiving an end portion of one of the beams. Also, the elementscarried by the top plate desirably include brackets, preferably formedof metal, and positioned to be easily connected to the beams after thebeams are moved into assembled position relative to the top plate. Thebrackets may have portions projecting downwardly into mounting slitsformed in the top plate, and fastened in those slits, to maximize theeffectiveness withwhich the brackets and therefore the 3,398,583Patented Mar. 14, 1967 beams are secured to the prefabricated top plateassemblies.

At the peaks of the beams, I find it desirable to utilize a unique typeof ridge pole, which extends between and interconnects successive beamsat the peak locations, and which is received and located within notchesor recesses formed in the beams at their peak areas. The ridge pole maybe marked to indicate the proper spacing between successive beams, andmay be nested within metal conector elements which are carried by thebeams, and function to secure two oppositely inclined top members of aparticular beam together.

The above and other features and objects of the invention will be betterunderstood from the following detailed description of the typicalembodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective representation of a building; havinga roof structure whose framework is constructed in accordance with theinvention, with the framework being illustrated as it appears prior toapplication of the actual top roofing material thereto;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the variousprefabricated sections of the roof structure separately, that is, inexploded form;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded view similar to a portion of FIG. 2,but greatly enlarged to show the manner in which one of the beams andthe top plate assembly interfit with one another and With the side wallstructure;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 44 ofFIG. 5;

PEG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary exploded vertical section illustrating themanner in which the parts interfit at one end of the building;

FIG. 8 shows the parts of FIG. 7 after interconnection;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a vertical section taken on line 101tl of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view representing the manner inwhich the ridge pole connects to one of the beams; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken online 1212 ofFIG. 1. v Referring first to FIG. 1, I have illustrated at 10 a cornerof a building having a roof structure 11 embodying the invention. Thebuilding 10 may typically be considered as of rectangularhorizontalsection, having two parallel vertical side walls 12 and 13 (FIG. 1), andhaving two parallel vertical end walls 14 (only one shown) disposedperpendicular to the side walls 12 and 13. Each of the walls 12, 13 and14 may include the usual vertically extending two by four studs 15 towhich are nailed inner and outer skin structures 16 and 17, which skinsmay take the form of four foot by eight foot panels of plywood or thelike. As will be apparent from FIG. 2, the upper edges of skins 16 and17 project upwardly beyond the upper ends of studs 15, to form topgrooves 18 extending along the upper edges of all of the side and endwalls. Within grooves 18 there are mounted first horizontally extendingplate members, taking the form of two by fours 3 received within thegrooves and nailed to the upper ends of studs 15.

The roof structure 11 includes a series of identical parallel beams 20extending transversely of the building and supported at their oppositeends on side walls 12 and 13. The end portions of the beams areconnected to a pair of prefabricated top plate assemblies 21 and 22extending along the upper edges of side walls 12 and 13. At the veryends of the building, above end Walls 14, are utilized two end beams 23(only one shown in FIG. 1). The peaks of the various beams areinterconnected by a ridge pole 24.

Each beam 20 is of triangular configuration, being formed of a bottomhorizontally elongated wooden member 25, two oppositely inclined upperedge boards 26 and 27, and a vertical panel member 28. Member 25 maytypically be of normal two inch by four inch cross section, and members26 and 27 may typically be of nominal two inch by six inch crosssection. The outer ends of members 26 and 27 project outwardly beyondthe opposite ends of member 25, at 29, to support the outwardlyprojecting eaves of the building. The ends of member 25 are out 01f toform inclined surfaces 30 which engage and are rigidly secured to theundersurfaces of elements 26 and 27, as by nailing or gluing these partstogether. At the peak of the triangle formed by each beam 20, the twoboards 26 and 27 meet at abutting vertical surfaces 31 (FIG. 12), andare secured together by a pair of vertical brackets and ridge polesupports 32.

Load forces are transmitted vertically from inclined upper members 26and 27 to the lower horizontal element 25 through panel 28, which maytake the form of a triangular sheet of plywood, or other fiat rigidsheeting material. The triangular configuration of panel 28 isessentially the same as that defined by members 25,

26 and 27, so that member 28 has a horizontal bottom edge 31 (FIG.connected to member 25, and two oppositely inclined converging top edges32 of an inclination corresponding to, and attached to, members 26 and27 respectively. As seen clearly, each of the edges 31 and 32 isreceived within a mating groove 33 for-med in the upper surface ofmember 25, or the under-surface of member 26 or 27. The edges of panel28 taper progressively as seen in FIG. 10, and the grooves are ofsimilarly tapering cross sectional shape, so that the panel edges maynest very tightly within the grooves in a manner preventing any lateralshifting movement of the retained panel edges, and thereby assuringeffective and accurate location of the panel relative to members 25, 26and 27. The panel is secured to the other parts by gluing the taperingedges of the triangular panel to the members 25, 26 and 27 at locationswithin grooves 33, and continuously along the periphery of panel 28.Thus, elements 25, 26, 27 and 28 form together a strong prefabricatedbeam structure which is capable of taking very heavy load forces in use.

The end beams 23 which are provided at opposite ends of the building maybe of dilferent construction, to include a triangular outer skin element34 which is nailed or otherwise secured rigidly to the outer surfaces ofthree triangularly arranged boards 25a, 26a and 27a. These boards 25a,26a and 27a may be structurally the same as, or very similar to, thecorresponding elements 25, 26, and 27 of the rest of the beams. Element34 may overhang the side wall slightly as shown at 134 in FIG. 8, toprovide for water runoff.

Ridge pole 24 is a rigid straight typically wooden member whichpreferably is of straight cylindrical external shape. The two connectingand supporting elements 32 (FIGS. 11 and 12) secured to each beam 24) or23 may be formed of sheet metal deformed to provide an upper turnedflange 35 which extends along the upper edge of element 26 at 36, thenextends downwardly at 37 and back upwardly at 38 to form a U-shapedsocket for receiving pole 24, and finally extends essentiallyhorizontally at 3? for a short distance along the upper surface ofmember 27. Parts 26 and 27 are notched out to form together a U-shapedrecess or socket 419 corresponding in vertical section to the shape ofportion 3'73 8 of the elements 32. Projecting downwardly and outwardlyfrom the flange portion 35 (36, 37, 38, 39) of element 32, this elementhas a radially outwardly projecting fin 41 which is received within anarcuate saw cut or narrow recess 42 formed in parts 26 and 27, and issecured to those parts by fasteners 43. Each of the fasteners 43 isdriven horizontally through the wood of one of the members 26 or 27, andthrough apertures which are preformed in fins 41 of the two carriedelements 32, so that each part 32 is secured tightly to both of theelements 26 and 27, and therefore acts to retain these parts together inassembled relation. It is contemplated that fasteners 43 may be nails,but it is preferred that they be fasteners of the type referred to asdrive screws, that is, screws having a very long pitch so that they maybe driven rather than screwed into their installed positions. Ifdesired, a single one of the elements 32 may of course be utilizedinstead of the illustrated two, in each of the beams, though twoelements are preferred.

As seen best in FIG. 2, each of the prefabricated top plate assemblies21 includes a horizontally elongated top plate proper 44, which, likeplate 19 is desirably of nominal two inch by four inch cross section.Plate 44 is adapted to be received within groove 18 above element 19,and to be nailed to element 19, with the upper surface of plate 44 thenbeing received in horizontal alignment with the horizontal upper edgesof skins 16 and 17 of the side and end Walls.

In addition to top plate element 44, each assembly 21 includes a seriesof longitudinally aligned blocking members 45, which are secured toplate 44 by brackets 46. Elements 45 may be approximately of nominal twoinch by five inch cross section, with the upper edge 145 being cut at aninclination corresponding to the upper surfaces of members 26 and 27,and with members 45 overhanging the outer edge of element 44 a shortdistance at 146 as will be apparent from consideration of FIGS. 3 and 4.Adjacent ones of the members 46 have opposed parallel vertical endsurfaces 47 (FIGS. 3 and 5) between which an end of one of the beams 20is received and confined in assembled condition of the roof structure.Elements 45 are secured to top plate 44, in the illustratedrelationship, by brackets 46, each of which has a first vertical portion48 engaging an inner surface 49 of one of the elements 45 and projectingdownwardly at 50 (FIG. 3) into a saw cut or other narrow vertical slit51 formed in plate 44. Nails 52 (FIG. 4) are driven into element 44 andthrough preformed openings in portion 48 of each bracket 46, to rigidlysecure the bracket to member 44. Similarly, nails may be driven throughopenings in the upper portion of bracket 46 at 53- (FIGS. 3 and 4) andinto element 45 to secure parts 44 and 45 together through the medium ofthe bracket.

The spacing between parallel opposed vertical surfaces 47 of adjacentmembers 45 is accurately predetermined to exactly'receive and confine areduced thickness portion '54 of one of the beams 20. This reducedthickness portion is formed in the beam, near its end, by providing twovertical grooves 55 in the opposite sides of members 25 and 26, or 25and 27, with the grooves being dimensioned to exactly receive andinterfit with the ends of the engaged boards 45. The spacing between theinner surfaces 56 of grooves 55 corresponds substantially exactly to, ormay be very slightly less than, the previously mentioned spacing betweensurfaces 47 of elements 45. Each of the end beams 23 may have acorresponding vertical groove at 57 (FIGS. 1 and 2) in only one of itssides, for receiving an end one of the blocking members 45.

To attach the beams in position, each bracket 46 has a portion 58 (FIG.3) turned at right angles to portion 48, and disposed parallel tosurfaces 47, at locations such that two of the spaced portions 58 engageopposite sides of each of the members 26 and 27, to be secured theretoby nails driven through preformed apertures 59 in portions 58. The endof one of the elements 45 carries at its extremity a single bracket 46which similarly engages and is nailed to element 26a or 27a.

The top plate assembly 60 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which extends along the upperedge of each end wall 14 of the building, includes a plate element 61which may be the the same as element 44 of assembly 21, except that itdoes does not carry blocking members 45 and brackets 46. Instead,element 61 carries a series of spaced upwardly projecting brackets 62,which may be simple sheet metal elements (FIG. 7) received withinvertical saw cuts or narrow slits 63 in element 61, and secured thereinby nails 64 driven through elements 61 and 62. The sheet metal elements62 project upwardwardly above element 61, at '65 (FIG. 7), and maycontain preformed apertures 66 through which nails may be driven intomember 25a to secure beam 23 to assembly 60 through the medium ofbrackets 62.

To now describe the manner of assembly of the roof structure illustratedin the figures, assume first of all that the various walls 12, 13 and 14have been erected to the condition illustrated in FIG. 2, to providefour vertical walls having grooves 18 extending along their upper edges.The roof is delivered to the building site in the form of a number ofprefabricated units, including the required number of main beams 20, twoend beams 23, prefabricated top plate assemblies 21 of proper length toextend along side walls 12 and 13, and prefabricated top plateassemblies 60 of a length to extend along the end walls 14. Alsoincluded is a ridge pole 24 cut to a length corresponding to the lengthof the peak portion of the roof to be formed, and with the ridge poleprefer-ably having formed on it markings 67 which are measured toindicate exactly where the opposite side surfaces of each beam are tomeet the ridge pole.

After erection of the walls of the building, the next step may be toplace top plate assemblies 21 and 60 within the proper grooves 18 in thetops of the walls, following which these assemblies may be secured inthose positions by driving nails downwardly through elements 44 and 61into the lower plate elements 19 (as indicated at 68 and 69 in FIGS. 4and 8). Also, nails may be driven horizontally through the inner andouter skins of the side wall structures and into elements 44 and 61, asindicated at 70 and 71 in FIGS. 4 and8.

Beams 20 may be moved into position successively, by slipping each ofthe beams downwardly at the proper location so that its grooved reducedthickness portion 54 is received between the opposed end surfaces 47 ofa pair of blocking members 45. Nails are driven through apertures 59 ofbrackets 46 and into the beams to secure the beams in these positions.Also, end beams 23 are moved into position, and are secured in theirassembled positions by nails driven through brackets 46 and 62 and intomembers 25a, 26a and 27a.

The peak portions of the beams are secured in proper relation bylocating ridge pole 24 within connector parts 32 carried by the peaks ofthe beams, and then driving nails downwardly through the ridge pole andinto members 26, 27, 26a and 27a, as indicated at 72 in FIG. 12. Beforedriving these nails into the ridge pole and a particular beam, the poleand beam are accurately located relative to one another, by aligningmarkings 67 with the opposite sides of the beam, so that the peaks ofthe beams are spaced proper distances apart, corresponding to thedistances that the ends of the beams are spaced apart. Thus, the beamsare maintained in parallel relation.

After the entire illustrated roof frame has been assembled, conventionalsheeting or other roofing material may be applied to the upper surfacesof the beams, and the upper surfaces of blocking elements 46, and withthis sheeting material being receivable above ridge pole 24 by virtue ofthe fact that the ridge pole is recessed downwardly so that theuppermost surface of the ridge pole is essentially aligned with the topsurfaces of beam elements 26, 27, 26a and 27a (see FIG. 12). In FIGS. 1,4 and 12, the top sheeting is indicated fragmentarily and in brokenlines at 73.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A prefabricated roof structure for a building having side walls,including a top plate to extend horizontally along the top edge of oneof said side walls, a roof beam having a portion extending across andsupported above the upper side of said top plate, blocking memberssecured to the upper side of said top plate, said blocking members beingelongated in essentially a common direction longitudinally of saidplate, to extend between said beam and other similar beams, and havingadjacent ends spaced apart to form a recess therebetween receiving saidbeam, and a connector bracket secured to said top plate attaching saidbeam to the top plate and having a thin portion projecting into a slitformed in said top plate.

2. A prefabricated roof structure for a building having side walls,including a top plate to extend horizontally along the top edge of oneof said side walls, a roof beam having a portion extending across andsupported above the upper side of said top plate, blocking memberssecured to the upper side of said top plate, said blocking members beingelongated in essentially a common direction longitudinally of said topplate, to extend between said beam and other similar beams, and havingadjacent ends spaced apart to form a recess therebetween receiving saidbeam, -a connector bracket secured to said top plate and having a thinportion projecting into a slit formed in said top plate, and fastenermeans securing said bracket to said top plate, said bracket having aport-ion received adjacent and secured to said beam to attach it to thetop plate.

3. A prefabricated roof structure for a building having side walls,including a top plate to extend horizontally along the top edge of oneof said side walls, a roof beam having a portion supported above the topplate, and at least one bracket secured to said top plate and having aportion connected to said beam, said plate having a slit formed therein,and said bracket having a portion projecting into said slit.

4. A prefabricated roof structure for a building having side walls,including a top plate to extend horizontally along the top edge of oneof said side walls, a roof beam having a portion supported above the topplate, and at least one sheet metal bracket secured to said top plateand having a portion projecting upwardly above said top plate andconnected to said beam, said plate having a slit formed therein, andsaid bracket having a portion projecting downwardly into said slit.

5. An essentially triangular beam for use in forming the roof of abuilding, comprising a horizontally extending elongated first woodenstructure forming the bottom of the beam, two elongated upper woodenstructures connected to opposite ends of said first structure andinclined upwardly and toward one another to form a peak, and atriangular panel extend-ing vertically between said first structure andsaid upper wooden structures and having lower and upper edges receivedand confined within grooves in said structures, said upper and loweredges and said grooves tapering correspondingly in 'width to assureagainst lateral shifting movement of the panel.

6. A beam for use in forming the roof of a building, comprising a firstgenerally horizontal member, a second member above said first member andextending angul-arly upwardly relative thereto at an inclinationcorresponding to the pitch of the roof, and a panel extending verticallybetween said two members and having a lower generally horizontal edgeand an upper edge inclined in correspondence with said second member,said first member having an upper surface containing a groove receivingsaid lower edge of the panel, said second member having an inclinedundersurface containing a groove receiving said upper edge of the panel,said upper and lower edges of the panel being tapered in thickness, andsaid grooves being tapered correspondingly in width to tightly confineand locate said edges.

References Cited by the Examiner Stadelman 5292 Forciea 52233 Couse52639 Eddleblute 52639 Duesler 52302 Johnson 5292 FOREIGN PATENTSNorway.

OTHER REFERENCES H-Brace publication, March 1956, pp. 1, 2 relied on.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

R. A. STENZEL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A PREFABRICATED ROOF STRUCTURE FOR A BUILDING HAVING SIDE WALLS,INCLUDING A TOP PLATE TO EXTEND HORIZONTALLY ALONG THE TOP EDGE OF ONEOF SAID SIDE WALLS, A ROOF BEAM HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING ACROSS ANDSUPPORTED ABOVE THE UPPER SIDE OF SAID TOP PLATE, BLOCKING MEMBERSSECURED TO THE UPPER SIDE OF SAID TOP PLATE, SAID BLOCKING MEMBERS BEINGELONGATED IN ESSENTIALLY A COMMON DIRECTION LONGITUDINALLY OF SAIDPLATE, TO EXTEND BETWEEN SAID BEAM AND OTHER SIMILAR BEAMS, AND HAVINGADJACENT ENDS SPACED APART TO FORM A RECESS THEREBETWEEN RECEIVING SAIDBEAM, AND A CONNECTOR BRACKET SECURED TO SAID TOP PLATE ATTACHING SAIDBEAM TO THE TOP PLATE AND HAVING A THIN PORTION PROJECTING INTO A SLITFORMED IN SAID TOP PLATE.